Tarnished Silver
by Kimmimaru
Summary: In a long forgotten Kingdom, in a land birthed in the imagination, there is a battle. A war between light and dark, between good and evil...a war where mistakes come back to haunt you and two lovers only wish to overcome the impossible. (Please read explanation inside. Eventual Slash. M rated for gore and sexual content)
1. Chapter 1

AN: A story that's a mixture of the Legend of King Arthur, Harry Potter, a one-shot I wrote called 'Black Prince' and Romeo and Juliet. I hope you enjoy.

In this Walburga Black (Sirius' mother) tricks the King who is also her half-brother, Charlus Potter, into sleeping with her. She falls pregnant and when Charlus realises what she has done he banishes her from his kingdom. Years later she marries Orion Black (her second cousin) and they raise the illegitimate child (Sirius) as their own. Meanwhile Charlus marries another woman, Dorea Black, and they have a son who they call James…

I hope that's not too confusing for you, lol. It's quite convoluted. (The name 'James' actually means 'He who supplants'…I found that rather apt)

The prologue is simply an overview of each boy's upbringing, it is there to show the differences in each family. :)

Tarnished Silver

_Prologue_

The babe wailed. Its high voice shattering the peace like a siren and set the woman's teeth on edge, she hissed and climbed out of her bed before moving to the side of the large crib. She looked down into a lurid pink face, as round as the moon with a smattering of pitch black hair. Gently she reached inside and picked the child up, holding him close to her breast she sat down on a rocking chair and began unbuttoning her night shirt. Slowly she rocked him back and forth as she hummed to him before putting him on her breast. "Hush little one…" She crooned softly as the child suckled contentedly. "There, that's it…drink up and grow to become a fine man. Drink and become strong. Soon you will be older and I shall finally have my revenge." Her smile became cold as she lifted her eyes to the mullioned window, outside the wind howled like a banshee, the branches from a tree tapped at the glass as if begging entrance and her smile widened. "You will grow and I will teach you everything you need to know. I will teach you to hate the man who dares call himself King! I will teach you to hate that bitch who married him and…and you shall learn to despise that spawn they have produced! My dear, sweet little Sirius…you will come to understand my hatred and take it on for yourself, it will corrupt and twist your innocent little soul until the day you are strong enough to take your rightful place upon the throne. Yes, yes, beautiful child…you will be my weapon, my tool to destroy our pathetic, lying King." She chuckled softly as the child fed, its hand curled into a fist upon her night gown. Gently, almost lovingly, she caressed his head. "It is through you that my revenge shall blossom like the most beautiful, bloodstained flower. You will never know love, nor compassion nor mercy…you are the embodiment of my will!"

~XXX~

"He's beautiful, my love." Charlus smiled and kissed his wife's sweaty brow, between them the new born baby shifted and sucked hungrily at the air. "You've done magnificently!"

Dorea gazed down at the crimson wrapped bundle in her arms and smiled sweetly. "He will be a good boy." She whispered sleepily.

"He will, my dear…let me put him back in his cot and you can sleep."

"Thank you, Charlus…" Dorea reluctantly handed her son over to her husband and lay back into the pile of soft cushions, she fell asleep with a smile.

The King took the time to stare down into the face of his son, he had never been so happy before. There had been some fear that they would be unable to produce an heir but just when his wife was coming to despair she had fallen pregnant. The whole Kingdom was rejoicing and he had declared a national holiday to celebrate the occasion, gently he reached down and touched his son's cheek. "I shall name you James…" He whispered and kissed his forehead.

~XXX~

"Mama! Mama! Look'it what I got!"

Walburga sighed and set aside her sewing, she turned to see her eldest son holding out his cupped hands. "What is it?" She snapped impatiently and Sirius' grin widened.

"Look!" He opened his little hands and revealed a beautiful blue butterfly, he looked pleased with himself. "I caught it all by myself! Can I keep it? Can I?"

Walburga looked at the hapless little insect for a moment before reaching out and picking it up by its vibrant wings. "Why on earth would you want something so pathetic?" Sirius' smile fell and he looked upset, he watched as Walburga held the pretty thing up to the light that streamed through the window.

"B-But…but it's so pretty!" He said quietly but fell silent when his mother sent him a fiery glare.

"No matter how pretty something is, if it is weaker than yourself you must destroy it…" As an example she tore off one of the insects wings and let it fall to the floor. "Do you understand why this is so?"

Sirius gazed at the fallen wing as it lay on the green carpet as he considered his mother's question carefully. "I-I…Because…because weak things are…are bad?" He offered tentatively, casting a nervous look in his mother's direction. She smiled and lifted her hand, he went to her and let her stroke his head.

"Yes, my sweet. Weakness is evil and must be eradicated…All weak things betray the strong in order to gain a power that does not belong to them. Do you understand, dear?"

Sirius nodded slowly as his mother placed the dying butterfly back in his pudgy little palm, he watched it limping across his skin and was overcome with a wave of intense revulsion. Tears sprang to his eyes and he let the insect fall from his fingers before fleeing the room, in the bed in the corner Walburga's second child awoke with a huge yawn from his afternoon nap. Walburga stood and, as she moved to her youngest son's side, she stepped on top of the butterfly and crushed it beneath her shoe.

~XXX~

"Dorea! Dorea, come quickly!"

Dorea felt a sudden surge of panic at the sound of her husband's voice, she stood up from her desk and ran into the large courtyard garden as fast as her legs would carry her. When she entered into the bright sunlight she saw Charlus standing before her wearing a huge grin, before him sat their young son holding a perfect red rose in his hand and beaming just like his father. "What on earth…?" Dorea asked breathlessly as Charlus took her by the hand and pulled her towards the rose bush where many buds were sitting, unopened.

"Jamie, my lad…" The king said jovially and the boy blinked up at him with a smile. "Can you do that again for your mother?"

"Kay." James reached out and put his fingers onto a rose bud, Dorea watched in fascination as it slowly began uncurling itself to reveal its blood red interior. She gasped and put her hands to her lips as it bloomed into a beautiful flower.

"Oh my! Oh! This is…this is…wonderful! Oh James! You're growing up so fast!" She smiled and pulled her son into her arms, she giggled happily at the praise.

"He's coming into his magic and it's so well controlled! He's going to be a wonderful wizard when he's older, my love."

"It's so amazing! James, I'm so proud of you." James wriggled free and smiled at his parents happily as they fussed over him, they didn't mind his dirt stained clothes or leafy hair. They didn't mind that he had spent most of the afternoon using his hands to dig up the flower beds to collect worms, they didn't mind that he had a jam jar full of them to put down the maids daughter's dress. He was surrounded by love and warmth and he didn't understand, nor know pain or darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Yay! A review! :D I hope you enjoy this first chapter, thank you for all the support. The smut and stuff will come soon but I need to set the scene as this is not a PWP, just bare with me.

_Chapter One_

Sirius stood upon the door step of the ostentatious manor house where he had grown up, it was completely walled in by tall hedges that would entrap any trespasser should they dare attempt to break in. He had spent all sixteen years of his life living behind those hedges, although at times, when his parents weren't looking, he would sneak to the grand gates and gaze out at the people who passed by. He stared up at the sky, clouds passed overhead and cast their shadows across the ground.

"Sirius."

He turned to see his little brother standing behind him, he was dressed in smart black dress robes. "Reg, what's wrong?"

"Mother's looking for you, you need to get ready."

Sirius sighed softly and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there in a bit."

With a nod Regulus turned and returned into the house, Sirius turned back to the sky and closed his eyes. He would be leaving the confines of his prison for the first time and he was filled with a mixture of emotions, fear being prominent among them. With a deep breath he went into the house.

"Sirius, dear, I have found you some appropriate dress robes for the occasion." Walburga turned to face her son as he entered the room, she took in his face and eyes with a swift glance. He was pale and his hair was hanging in his eyes again which annoyed her. "You really do need a haircut."

"I'm fine, mother." Sirius said softly and went to the bed where his clothes were laid out for him, he stripped off his normal robes and began changing. His new robes were pale grey that offset his eyes, along the dagged sleeves was a pattern of delicate green flowers and serpents.

"Now tell me Sirius, what is it you are to do when you meet King Charlus?"

Sirius stared at his reflection a moment before answering. "I'll ingratiate myself with him. When he recognises me as his son I will get him to take me in."

"Good." Walburga smiled brilliantly. "And what will you do then?"

"I'll convince him to officially make me his heir, as is my birthright being the eldest. When he has done this I will-" He paused and sighed softly, his shoulders slumped a little and he turned to his mother. "Do I have to?"

"You do my dear." Walburga said coldly, she walked over to the window and stared out into the garden. "You are the rightful prince, Sirius. Do you not wish to please me?"

Sirius straightened his robes absently. "Of course, you're my mother."

"Then do as I say and when the time is right kill the old man and his vile brat, do you understand?"

"I do." Sirius breathed after a brief pause.

"Then, let us attend this most auspicious celebration." Walburga walked out the door and Sirius trailed after her. He felt nerves fluttering like butterflies in his chest, his whole life had been working up to this point and now he would fulfil his destiny. He would kill the man who had abandoned his bastard son to live in a tiny muggle hamlet, he would kill the man who had made him a prisoner.

~XXX~

James ran through the kitchens, through clouds of steam and busy staff. On his way past the cooks table he grabbed a bun from a tray fresh out the oven, the cook shouted after him as he ran; he spun on his heel and waved before running on again. His steps pounded familiar paths, stairs and cold stone floors until he reached his room. Panting he took a bite from his stolen bun and pushed open the door where he froze.

"James, I told you to be ready an hour ago."

His mother was sitting on his bed and wearing a stern frown. "I'm sorry, I got caught up with-"

Dorea smiled and stood up. "I know exactly what you were caught up with, you're my son and the future King there isn't much you can hide from me."

James grinned guiltily and devoured the rest of his bread, he quickly stripped off his clothes and grabbed the fresh robes laid out for him. Dorea watched him change hurriedly. "You have grown so much, James." She said softly. "Today your manhood will be recognised by the whole Kingdom."

"I know…Do I have to go through with it?" He turned and Dorea laughed as she straightened the collar of his robes.

"There's no getting out of this one, your father's very excited about it." She sighed a little sadly and smoothed the cloth covering her son's chest. "You've grown so tall."

James grinned happily. "I know."

"How is Quidditch practise going?"

"Brilliant! I've beaten everyone who dares go up against me! There's not a Goal Keeper around here that can stop me from scoring!" He beamed and ruffled up the back of his hair so it looked as if it was windswept, when he realised what he was doing he blushed. Dorea chuckled and smoothed down his hair, it sprang straight back where it had been.

"Come on then, your father will be getting anxious."

James breathed out and took his mother's arm, together they left the room.

~XXX~

The hall was lined with guards, at the doors stood the Herald awaiting the arrival of the first guests. Charlus shifted in his throne and sighed softly, he turned to his wife who smiled and put her hand over his in silent encouragement, he despised such bawdy occasions but it had to be done. He looked to his right to find his son slouched lazily in his seat and gazing at the wall in obvious boredom, the courtiers nearest kept giving him wary glances. "James, sit up properly. I know how you feel but you cannot display your boredom quite so openly, it's rude." James flashed him a guilty grin and sat upright, Charlus returned his gaze to the great doors at the back of the hall and waved his hand as the signal to begin.

For the next hour James was treated to the introduction of what felt like every Wizarding family in the Kingdom. He had a hard time remembering names let alone faces, eventually they all began to blur into one and he felt his attention fading. He let his eyes drift around the hall as it filled with guests, his stomach growled hungrily and he bit back a sigh. As he looked around a sudden gust of trumpets alerted him to the next wave of honoured guests, he glanced at his father and noticed that his eyes had an oddly glazed look to them as he sat in his throne, he smiled to himself.

"Announcing the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." The Herald declared in a ringing voice, James stifled a yawn but out the corner of his eye he saw his father tense. His attention moved to the newcomers who strode in through the doors, he struggled upright and watched them curiously. "Introducing Lady Walburga Black." James watched a regal woman move forward and drop a low, respectful curtsy.

"Your majesty." She said softly and rose with a gracious smile. James looked at his father again to see his hands gripping the arms of his throne so tightly his knuckles were white, he frowned to himself at this odd behaviour before returning his attention to the Black family.

"Lord Orion Black." The Herald declared and a gruff looking man stepped up and bowed. There was a tense beat of silence before Walburga and Orion stepped aside and two boys moved to greet the King and Queen. "Sirius Orion Black the Third."

As the eldest boy came out of his bow he looked up and met the eyes of the King, Charlus took a sharp breath as he stared down at him with wide eyes. He was the spitting image of his mother with the same seductive grace and the same pitch black hair, but somehow Charlus knew that the man stood behind him was not his father. James raised an eyebrow curiously at the way his father was leaning forward, the behaviour was extremely strange considering how the King despised such events.

"And their youngest son Regulus Arcturus Black."

The youngest stepped forward and took his turn to bow and James took the time to take stock of the eldest. He was tall and impossibly handsome, his skin was flawless and as pale as milk. His hair was shiny and thick and had a way of falling into his eyes that made James a little jealous. Sirius seemed to become aware that he was being watched as Dorea made the official greeting, their eyes met and James felt an odd swooping sensation in his gut, as if he had flown a loop on his broom. Sirius Black's eyes were the colour of tarnished silver, bright and calculating they sparkled in a way that sent shivers of excitement down the young prince's spine. He was so caught up in watching the young man he forgot that he was supposed to receive the gifts, his mother alerted him by leaning across and touching his hand lightly, he jumped and stood up. "Thank you for coming on this, my birthday and coming to manhood." He said tightly, having difficulty looking away from Sirius.

"It was our pleasure." Walburga said and moved towards him, she held out a neatly wrapped box and he took it automatically. "We hope you grow into a good man and a good King." She said and smiled.

Something deep inside James recoiled from that smile, it was chilling. There was no joy or genuine graciousness behind it, only an ice cold calculation. He took the gift and placed it aside with a nod of his head.

As was tradition the guests were honoured by being given a place to stay in the castle, the celebration of James' birthday were to last a week and the guests would need to be close by for the entertainments. After a long day of official boredom James managed to finally escape the clutches of his royal heritage, he left the hall and his parents and ran straight to his room where he shed his robes. He grabbed his broom before running to the huge castle gardens.

The castle gardens took up acres of land, they were far bigger than the castle it's self. They had flowers in abundance and even a small grove of trees that grew near the wall, James ran to this area now, his feet treading familiar paths without conscious thought. As he reached the copse he paused as he spotted movement within the shadowy depths, with a frown he moved further forward and stopped as he spotted a figure a few feet from him.

Sirius sat on his knees surrounded by the trees, his robes were thrown casually over a nearby tree so that he was wearing trousers and a loose tunic. Before him was a rather large dog, it was lying on its back as he scratched at its ears and belly. He was chatting to it idly and although he was certain his mother would flay him alive if she spotted him doing it, he also knew that the dog understood everything he said.

James stared at the boy, the dog he was petting had always been an ornery bastard and no one except James himself had ever been able to get that close to him. He gazed in wonder at the interaction, the dog occasionally licking at the boys hand and the boy laughing. Sirius' laugh was amazing, it was a sharp bark very much like that of the dog. He watched in mute fascination, unable to look away as light streamed down through the trees to highlight the scene. Then a butterfly fluttered down from the tree tops and pitched upon Sirius' hand, he stilled like a hunting wolf before slowly taking the insect in his hand. He spent a moment gazing at it, watching it crawl over his fingers and flutter it's brightly patterned wings. James licked his lips, wandering how someone could be so gentle, he watched as a bright, beautiful smile lit the boys face. It was as if the sunlight had been obliterated in deference to the pure expression, Sirius chuckled again and James could not resist the urge to talk, he stepped forward into the light. "Hi." He said, one hand clutching his broom.

Sirius, much to James' surprise, almost leapt right out of his skin. he made a yelping noise as he jumped to his feet, the butterfly flew off and the Dog growled.

"Woah! It's ok, I didn't mean to scare you." James said with his hand in the air.

Sirius looked flustered, his cheeks flushed slightly pink as his eyes darted around nervously. "I-I…I'm sorry…I didn't expect to see anyone here…I…"

James grinned. "No worries. You're Sirius, right? Sirius Black?"

"And you're James Potter." Sirius replied, James was unable to help detecting the slight hint of disdain as he spoke his surname.

"Yeah, I am. Nice to meet you properly." He held out his hand and Sirius merely stared at it in silence, after a few very awkward moments he let it drop back to his side. "Er…ok…don't shake my hand."

"I…I don't like it when people touch me." Sirius replied awkwardly, he rubbed his arm absently and stared at the grass beneath his feet. "It…it makes me uncomfortable."

"Oh, I see. Then, I promise not to touch you, how's that?"

Sirius' pretty eyes lifted to James' briefly before a tiny, almost imperceptible smile, touched his lips. "Thanks."

James considered him a moment before lifting his broom. "Hey, do you play Quidditch?" Sirius gazed at it and his smile widened reluctantly.

"As a matter of fact, I do." He said softly.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's play."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Chapter two! :) Now we see a bit of interaction between the King and Sirius! Please enjoy.

_Chapter two_

The daylight was fast fading by the time the two boys had landed back upon the ground, their laughter faded with the light as they lay on their backs panting a little. Sirius stared up at the sky, his mind buzzing with his experiences. He found himself filled with a strange feeling, one that made him smile, one that made him want to laugh. It was odd but he found that he was rather enjoying James' company. "You're really very good." He said and turned his head to find James' eyes on him, he smiled and watched his Quidditch partner return it.

"I'm the best in the Kingdom." He said easily. "No one has been able to stop me from scoring."

"I did." Sirius shot back with a playful smirk, James laughed out loud.

"Only because I go distracted!" He said and punched Sirius playfully in the arm, the other boy shuffled away and averted his eyes. "Oh…yeah, sorry." James said nervously. "I forgot."

"No…no it's…it's actually ok. I-I don't mind." And Sirius realised that actually he didn't mind James' touch. He had only ever been touched in acts of violence, he had never been embraced or even had someone touch his arm in a friendly gesture. His mother stroked his head occasionally but she never made him comfortable with it. He felt his smile widening, he could feel himself slowly coming to like James.

"You're such a weirdo." James said with a soft laugh. "I've never met anyone like you, I mean, you don't like being touched, you're quiet and seem very…distant all the time."

"I'm sorry…It's just…that's the way I am." Sirius replied with a shrug.

As they spoke the sun was devoured by the horizon and stars began to peek their heads from the black sky, Sirius stared up at them as he listened to James talk. Each time James tried to turn the conversation onto himself he turned it away, he didn't want to discuss his past and so he simply contented himself by listening. Finally the moon rose above the trees and shone down upon the two boys as they sat huddled against the trunks around a magical fire, Sirius wrapped his arms around his knees and closed his eyes as the sound of the wind in the trees lulled him to sleep.

"Sirius? Sirius are you listening?" James turned to find his companion curled up on his side and sleeping soundly, he smiled and chuckled. "You're like a child." He said softly and moved closer. The yellow light from the fire sent shadows dancing across Sirius' peaceful face, he was breathing softly and when he shifted his hair tumbled into his eyes. James reached out and gently brushed some strands away, his smile widened.

A shadow moved on his peripheral vision, James jerked away from Sirius as if he had been caught doing something wrong. His hand went to his wand and he drew it carefully, his eyes scanning the trees and searching for movement. He could almost feel something watching him, some form of malevolent presence that made all the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. As he turned in a full circle, searching, Sirius woke with a start. He sat upright and went still, his eyes glued on some distant spot behind James.

"Well, well, well…" The voice made James jump, it was distinctly feminine and James could hear the soft sound of robes sweeping across grass. Sirius climbed to his feet with a wide yawn and dusted himself down. "What do we have here then?" A figure emerged from the shadows.

"Mother, what brought you here?" Sirius asked, his shoulders tensing a little.

"I came to find you Sirius, your father is worried. You should go back to the castle, the both of you; we wouldn't wish any harm to come to the future King." She smiled and curtseyed.

James put away his wand. "I've been out here alone plenty of times, My Lady. I'm sure Sirius and I can look after ourselves."

Sirius shot him a side long glance before walking towards his mother. "It was nice spending time with you, Prince…I have to go now." He said and took his robes from where they had been thrown before bowing deeply and formally. He rose with a cold smile, one he had not used all night. "I'll see you at the feast tomorrow. Good night."

"Come Sirius." Walburga took Sirius' elbow and guided him away, Sirius had time to send a glance back over his shoulder and see James' silhouette still stood by the flames. "You're doing so well, my sweet." Walburga whispered as they moved through the little woods. "Charlus may have his suspicions but his hell spawn doesn't, if you can get close to him you can get closer to his father."

"Yes mother." Sirius said softly, but his mind was drifting back to his game with the prince, he hadn't had such fun since he had played with his brother as a child. He smiled to himself, the expression sweet and innocent and completely missed by his mother.

~XXX~

"Wake up, James!"

"Unngh…"

"James, come now, you have guests in the castle!"

"Go'way…"

"Now now, don't speak to your mother like that."

James managed, somehow, to force his eyes open. He yawned widely and rubbed them before slowly sitting up, he blinked at the blurry figure of his mother through the clinging haze of sleep. "What time is it?" He asked and yawned again, he reached up and scratched at his head.

"It's nine o'clock, dear. Now, wake up and come eat breakfast with your father and I."

"'Kay." James rubbed at his eyes one last time and slid out of bed, he felt around for his glasses and put them on. Everything came into sharp focus and he noticed that his mother had left him to get dressed. He grabbed his clothes from the previous day and as he slipped them over his head he found a long black hair clinging to his tunic, slowly he lifted it to the light and stared at it for a long moment. He remembered Sirius' bright laugh, his smile and felt one of his own spread across his face. Absently he put the hair aside and strode out of his room to go break his fast with his parents.

Sirius leaned on the banister of the balcony of his room, he stared out across the gardens and his eyes lingered on the woods he had played in the previous night. Before he knew it he was smiling as he recalled all their activities, he could still hear James' laughter, his teasing taunts as he sped around the trees with unrivalled skill.

"Sirius my dear, you do look ever so lovely in green."

Sirius' smile slipped from his lips as he looked over his shoulder to see his mother standing by the door to his bedroom. "I know, that's why I chose this tunic."

"Excellent, I have taught you well. Now, today is the day I want you to get closer to that wretch of a King."

Sirius turned and smiled, his eyes sparkling darkly as he strode towards her. "I know."

"And make sure you don't mess up! If you do I shall make you regret it!"

Sirius walked past her and sighed softly. "Of course Mother, I wouldn't dream of disobeying you."

"Good boy. Now go, go and meet your father properly."

Sirius' smile widened to reveal his canine teeth and he laughed coldly as he walked into the corridor, he went down some spiralling stairs and found himself in another corridor. He had long known where the royal quarters lay and he made his towards them now, his feet never missing a step. Finally he reached the King's rooms and stopped just out of sight of the doors, he leaned against the wall and waited, hoping.

"Yes dear, I'll be back in just a moment…I have to go see how the preparations for tonight's feast are going." The King's voice reached Sirius' ears and he smiled before stepping out from behind the wall he was hiding behind, he walked a few paces and deliberately walked straight into Charlus.

He stumbled backwards and fell onto his bum with a noise of shock, Charlus staggered a little but managed to right himself. Sirius arranged his face into one of humiliated shock, he stood up quickly and bowed low. "I'm so sorry! Really! I-I should have been looking where I was going! Please, forgive me, sire!" He said quickly.

There was silence and Sirius felt his hackles prickle. "No no, dear boy…it's…it's fine…" Charlus sounded nervous and inside Sirius grinned, slowly, as if he was nervous, he raised his head. "A-Aren't you Sirius Black? Walburga's son?"

"Yes! Yes I am." Sirius said with a bright smile. "It's so good to be here, sir, I can't believe I'm actually getting to see the inside of the castle! It's so beautiful!"

Charlus seemed taken aback by his earnestness and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Are you certain you're Walbruga's son? When…when were you born?"

Sirius' smile widened. "The thirty first of October, I'm sixteen your majesty."

Charlus mouthed the date and a thoughtful look came over his face as he counted, Sirius waited with a little impatience. Suddenly the King's face went pale and he stepped backwards. "I-Impossible! No…" He gasped and found himself leaning against the wall, he stared with wide eyed terror of Sirius who felt a savage jolt of satisfaction. He had to fight hard with himself so he didn't ruin his act by smiling.

"My Lord, a-are you alright?" He asked in false concern, he stepped closer.

"Dad? What's going on?" James peeked his head around the corner and his eyes spotted Sirius, a grin spread across his face and Sirius felt heat flush his cheeks. His hands tightened into fists, he had not considered what he'd do if James interrupted things.

"Yes, yes I'm fine, James. Why don't you go back in and finish breakfast?"

"I'm done, I was going to go outside and get some practice in before lunch…um…Sirius, would you like to join me?" James' face lit up hopefully and Sirius returned the smile reluctantly.

"I'm sorry but I was just going to-" Thankfully he was saved from having to make an excuse by James' father who took him by the upper arm.

"Sirius and I will be getting to know each other for a while, why don't you ask someone else today?"

James' face fell and Sirius felt a heaviness fall into his chest, he frowned to himself and wondered what it could be. "Alright…well, I'll see you around." James waved and Sirius was dragged off down the corridor after the King.

When they were a little further away Sirius found himself in a small private hall, Charlus released him and shut the door with a bang. He turned and stared at him for a long time, then he walked to the window and stood staring out with his hands behind his back. "Well, what do you want?"

Sirius started at the menace in the King's voice, he frowned in false confusion. "What do you mean, my lord?"

"Oh dispense with the act, boy! I know your mother well, she's been a bane on my existence for a long time." Charlus turned and glared at him. "You're doing this for something…what your mother want? Money? Land? Power? What?!"

Sirius paused. "She…she doesn't…"

"Do not lie! I hate liars!"

Sirius stared at the man for a long time, he was tall and skinny with messy brown hair and normally gentle hazel eyes. Sirius realised that he had inherited nothing from the man, not that he wanted to. "I don't know what mother wants, she doesn't confide in me." He said softly.

Charlus stared hard at him. "Then what is it you want? Why these pathetic games?"

"Me? I think that should be obvious…_father._" Sirius spat the word with disdain, his eyes darkened and his face twisted with anger.

The King flinched and spun on his heel. "Don't you ever call me that! I am not your father and I never will be! I do not intend to take you on as my son! You are a mistake, a terrible, sad mistake."

Sirius stared at the man who had helped create him, at his words he felt an unfamiliar ache in his chest. His face fell and he stared at the King as the pain increased. "A-a…A mistake?" He breathed softly.

"Yes. You were." Charlus' face softened a little but he made no move towards the boy. "Did your mother not explain to you how you were conceived?"

Sirius nodded slowly. "She that you seduced her…she said that you promised to make her queen…and then denied her. You…you sent her away, banished her while I was still in the womb."

Charlus sneered angrily. "Really? Ask her again. Ask her for the truth." He snapped and stepped towards the door at Sirius' back, he opened it. "Now leave and I never want to see you around me or family again, do you understand?!"

Sirius took a breath and turned away, he sent a heated look over his shoulder at the King. "You won't hear the last of this." He hissed and stormed away.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: This chapter is heavy on description (Which is why it didn't take quite so long to write, lol) as it is simply a chapter to show how our two boys are slowly drawing closer together, despite the secret battle going on in the background. I wanted to try to convey a struggle within Sirius, he likes James but he knows he's not supposed to. He has a deep sense of loyalty towards his mother yet he is slowly developing romantic feelings for James who he knows is his brother. James meanwhile is more accepting of his feelings as he does not know his familial connection to Sirius, as far as he's concerned Sirius fascinates him and he has to know more at whatever cost. I hope that comes across in this chapter, thank you once again for reading and reviewing. :)

_Chapter Three_

"Sirius? What on earth is the matter?" Walburga stepped into her son's room and stared at the boy who lay curled up on the bed.

"He knows!" Sirius snapped and sat up, his face was flushed with anger and pain. "The old bastard knows we want something! He said he wasn't going to accept me! He won't acknowledge his own bloody son!"

Walburga watched her son for a moment before sighing. "You are acting like a child." She said coldly as she moved further into the room and shut the door. "He will have no choice but to acknowledge you if you get closer to his son, don't you see? He loves the boy and would do anything for him."

Sirius stared at his mother as she sat down on the bed and stroked his head gently. "But what if-"

"Hush now, child…do you not think I have planned for this? It is going to plan and we will gain our rightful place, Sirius. I promise you that someday soon you shall sit upon the throne where you belong, you are the King's eldest son and he has no right to deny you."

"I may be the eldest but I'm a bastard! I'm illegitimate and have no claim-"

"You would have every claim if his son should suffer a tragic accident." Walburga's smile widened as her fingers played with strands of Sirius' hair.

Sirius looked away. "I'm not sure I can hurt him." He breathed and felt his mother's hand tighten on his hair, he winced but made no sound.

"Why not?" She snapped angrily. "Why would you not want what is rightfully yours?"

"I do want it!" Sirius insisted, pulling himself away and sitting against the headboard. "I do! I just…I…I like him. I like James! He's…he's different…"

"Oh my poor dear." Walburga sighed and shook her head. "You've been taken in by him, he's tricking you! Can't you see that? Their whole family is full of liars and thieves, they're all weak my sweet and you know what we must do to the weak?"

Sirius closed his eyes and hung his head. "The weak must die." He whispered.

"Yes, good boy. Now, keep that in mind and make sure that you seduce him well, he must truly believe your feelings are genuine or the whole plan will fail."

"Yes mother." Sirius watched her stand and leave him alone once again, when he was certain she was gone he threw himself back onto the bed and sighed heavily.

That evening Sirius sat at the huge table during the feast and merely picked morosely at his food, he huffed occasionally and sent his fringe fluttering. Occasionally he raised his eyes and gazed down the table to where the royal family were seated, his eyes found Charlus before sliding to his son. James was laughing and smiling with such ease it made jealousy fill Sirius' heart, he continued to push his food around his plate and flick glances towards James all evening. Even when his mother tried to gain his attention her voice was drowned out by James' laughter. Half way through the fish course James happened to look up, his eyes met Sirius' who felt heat filling his cheeks, they burned and yet he was unable to tear his gaze away. His mouth went dry and his heart made a good attempt to break out through his ribs. The early evening light streamed through the high windows to fall upon the young prince, it shone in his hair and made his eyes turn gold. The effect made breathing difficult, Sirius' hands became sweaty and he dropped his fork. And then James smiled and Sirius was blinded by his radiance, it was agony.

James watched Sirius throughout the meal, sometimes surreptitiously from the corner of his eyes and sometimes he would find himself outright gawking. Sirius was surrounded by shadows, they slid over him like soft shrouds, his skin was milky pale and seemed to glow with the light of the stars. Not even the dying sun seemed to be able to reach his dark, ethereal beauty. James was confused by the sudden upsurge of intense feelings that Sirius stirred in him, he had no idea what to do with them nor what they were, yet he knew that he wanted to get to know more about the young man. He was filled with an insatiable curiosity that he had never experienced before, he needed to understand him, he _had_ to know what made him tick. He wanted to know who he was when there was no one else around. He found himself noticing silly little details, details like the way his hair shone blue beneath the candle lights, the way he used his knife and fork with perfect elegance, the way he pushed his fringe from his eyes in one sweeping movement, even the way his throat moved as he swallowed. Several times James was forced to physically shake himself as he found himself staring at Sirius as if it was the first time he had met another human being, he was acting strangely and it was more than a little disturbing.

When the meal had been eaten and drinks had been drunk it was time for a dance, the royal family moved up to their proper places upon the low dais that stood at the end of the long hall. James sat and watched the party goers dancing, several times he was asked to dance by hopeful girls from prominent families, he did his duty but his eyes constantly searched for only a single face. Occasionally he got glimpses of him through the heaving mass of brightly coloured robes, he would be dancing or sometimes sitting alone by the wall and simply watching. Whatever he was doing each time James saw him he felt his heart jump into his throat, the feeling was not unpleasant.

Sirius was unable to prevent his eyes from following the princes every move, he couldn't stop himself from watching and becoming enchanted by the way his face lit up like sunshine. It wasn't long before he found himself dragged into a rather exuberant dance himself, the guests stood in a circle and moved in graceful precision. Over the laughter and music and merry making Sirius could hear the clear, uninhibited laughter of James. It made him smile, at first reluctantly but no matter how much he tried to fight it wasn't long before he was grinning and laughing with everyone else. Joy, it seemed, was contagious. Finally, as the night wore on, Sirius managed to escape the hall and especially his mother. He found himself in the gardens and walked through them slowly, the moonlight highlighted his path and made the roses look black. He paused and picked one from its bush, they were growing out of season as it was only March but he knew that magic was on them. He gazed down at the flower and ran his fingers over its soft petals; gently he blew on it and watched it turn to dust in his fingers. A wind picked up and blew his hair around his face before picking up the ashes of the rose and taking them away, he watched them scatter and felt a deep sense of grief that seemed to have no discernible cause. "The weak must die." He whispered to himself, for all his life those words had been his truth, they had been his mantra. He had been born with only a single purpose; to overthrow the King and place himself upon the throne where he belonged…but now, now he was coming to know the prince. Now he was coming to like him and he was beginning to have his first doubts about his lifelong mission.

James watched Sirius from the shadows, for some unknown reason he was reluctant to alert him to his presence. He was happy to just absorb every little detail of the scene before him, he gazed in wonder at the way the moonlight seemed to make Sirius glow with an inner light. It glided across his skin and alternated with shadow of varying shades, James realised that they were both so different, they were like the sun and moon, destined to only share the same sky on occasion. They knew two totally different worlds and he was disturbed by the thought that perhaps they could never grow any closer because of the barriers surrounding them. He watched as Sirius turned a flower to dust with a silent incantation, the only sign that he had used magic was the faint tingle left behind in the air. He sighed to himself and leaned against the statue he was near, his hands slid into his pockets as he watched Sirius draw further away from him. After a moment's hesitation he pushed himself away from his resting place and strode into the moonlight.

"Sirius?"

The soft voice shattered Sirius' thoughts, he jumped a little and spun around to see the prince stood behind him on the path. "Oh…James, I…I'm sorry, I didn't see you." He said hastily, he was glad they were surrounded by shadows as they hid his involuntary blush from the other boy.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." James said and smiled warmly, Sirius returned it with surprising ease.

"Don't worry." He said and looked up at the sky a moment. "What brings you out here? Is the dance over?"

James shook his head. "No…I just find these occasions stifling and wanted to get some air." He replied.

"Do you…do you want to take a walk?" Sirius asked abruptly, flushing once again in the near dark.

"Yeah, why not?" James grinned and Sirius returned, together they strode off into the sweetly scented night.

"Very good, child." Walburga muttered to herself from where she stood in the shadows of a nearby tree. She watched the two boys taking their moonlit stroll. "How very romantic, what a clever boy he is." She giggled to herself and watched Sirius pause and bend down, she saw the prince watching her son with eyes full of burning curiosity and an unrealised desire. "You have him now, Sirius. Soon you will finally complete my revenge and this Kingdom will become mine!" She laughed again and turned away, missing the light brush of the boy's hands and Sirius' soft, gentle smile.

Sirius had no idea how much time had passed, he was having too much fun simply walking and talking to James. He found himself enthralled by the way James smiled and laughed, he was utterly smitten by the way James rumpled the hair at the back of his head when he was showing off and when James' fingers brushed his own he felt tingles shoot through his skin. He was in heaven and he didn't want to think about the future, not when they were surrounded by the night and the soft sounds of the owls and other nocturnal creatures. He wanted to drown in this sweet dream forever, even if it meant his own death. When James reached out to him he never flinched, his smile merely widened. James plucked a stray leaf from his hair and let it fall to the floor, he allowed the very tips of his fingers to linger upon Sirius' cheek bone before allowing his hand to fall back to his side. The touch was simple yet it made Sirius' body shiver in excitement.

James gazed at Sirius as he leaned against a tree trunk, their eyes were locked and he felt the world fade slowly. It was so easy to take two steps and close the gap between them. It was almost too easy to slide one shaking hand into Sirius' hair. It was simple to tip his head to the side a little and lean close enough so that he could feel Sirius' breathe on his cheek. It was the easiest thing in the world to close that infinitesimal gap between their lips, it was wonderfully simple to put a little more pressure into the sudden kiss. When he pulled away he found himself staring at Sirius in a whole new light. He stood as if frozen to the spot with wide eyes that seemed to soak up the moonlight and glitter like twin stars, his cheeks burned darkly in the night and his lips parted as if he was going to speak. James smiled and prevented such an inopportune interruption, he didn't want logic to spoil this fantastic moment.

Sirius felt as if he had been thrust brutally into a dream, not a nightmare but a gorgeous dream full of golden sunlight and dancing water. James' lips were slightly chapped, his mouth moved with nervous hesitation that told Sirius he was still a bit of a novice when it came to kissing. It was innocent and sweet and something that Sirius had never before experienced. Oh, he had been kissed before but nothing like the way James was kissing him now. His previous experiences were hot and wet and messy, they were done in the darkness of his bed with hissed warnings about being caught. They were done with ferocity and a desperate, overwhelming passion that culminated in a quick orgasm and then sleep. This was different. This was an innocent press of lips, a nervous, clumsy kiss of one who is not entirely sure what they are doing and it was the most wonderful thing Sirius had ever experienced. It awoke a whole new vista of tantalising possibilities that swirled in his head like the brightly clothed dancers back at the castle. It was new and wonderful and perfect.

"James?! James, dear, where are you?"

Charlus' voice shattered the moment like a brick through glass, Sirius jerked himself away from James as reality crashed in about him with agonising clarity. He gasped in a breath and pushed James away from him, without a word he turned on his heels and fled into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Well, this is taking less time than I first thought, lol. But I suppose having no social life does help. :/ Anyways, I hope everyone is enjoying very muchly, as always I would love to hear from my readers. It's good to know what people think. I am now taking things up a notch, I want to increase the heat between our two boys. :) Enjoy peeps.

_Chapter Four_

The whole of the next day Charlus watched his son walk around as if he was sleep walking. He had a dreamy smile on his lips and slightly glazed eyes, he was constantly in a world of his own and it took more than one call of his name to gain his attention. The King was confused by this change in his son, he didn't understand why he was humming to himself or why he would stand on the balcony and gaze up at the sky as if under some kind of spell. It was Dorea who had to explain it to him that evening over dinner. James had excused himself early and gone to wander the castle alone, his parents remained at their private table. "What on earth has gotten into that boy?" Charlus said softly as the door closed behind James.

Dorea smiled and set aside her cutlery. "Can't you tell?" She asked teasingly.

"Tell what?" Charlus gazed at her in bewilderment.

The queen laughed. "Your son is in love, Charlus."

It took a while for that to sink in before Charlus leapt from his seat with joy. "He's in love?! Finally! I had my concerns about him, if he hadn't found an appropriate wife before his seventeenth I would have been forced to find him one. I didn't want him to be unhappy. This is excellent news my dear! Do you know who it is? I saw him dance with McKinnon's girl, is it her? She's very pretty. Or maybe-"

"Calm down, Charlus. We don't want to scare him off, do we?" Dorea said with a gentle smile, she reached out and put her hand over her husband's. "He'll tell us in good time, just let him have his secret for a while longer." She paused at the look in the kings face. "Now, now, what are you thinking?"

"I just want to meet this mysterious girl, I want to meet the future mother of my grandchildren!"

Dorea laughed again. "I told you to leave him be. He won't hide it from us for long, just allow him to dream for a while."

Charlus grinned happily and took his seat again. "Of course, you're right. He's still young and there's a lovely romance about secret affairs. We'll allow him his secrets for now."

Walburga sat with her husband and two sons in the living area of their given apartments, she noticed that Sirius was distant. He would spend his time gazing dreamily out the window or smiling to himself in a way he never had before. It was disconcerting and when he finally excused himself she turned to Regulus. "Keep an eye on your brother, he is in a strange mood and I fear that he may do something stupid."

"Of course mother." Regulus stood and followed his brother from the room.

Sirius wandered the gardens, his mind lingering on memories of James' lips. The feelings they stirred within him were confusing, he didn't understand why he had become such a central figure in his dreams, or why he was continuing to obsess. The affection James showed him was something new to Sirius, it was strange and he couldn't understand the other boy's fascination. He didn't deserve the attentions of someone so kind, they were too different and it would be impossible to form any kind of relationship with him. His head told him to back away, he was becoming too close and he had to take a step back to save himself from a potentially nasty fall. His heart was telling him something different, it told him that he should be with James. His heart wanted more. His heart wanted everything. He sighed and looked up at the clear sky, a bird flew overhead and Sirius wished he could sprout wings and fly away from everything, from his confusion, from the hatred he had been raised with. He closed his eyes and pushed his fingers through his hair, he felt the weight of sixteen years worth of darkness crushing his shoulders. Questions that had never occurred to him began to fill his mind; why did he hate Charlus? Why did he hate James? Why was he supposed to kill them? What was the point?

He was being pulled apart. His head ached every time he tried to sort his feelings into some semblance of order. He felt as if he was slowly spiralling down a well, a dark pit that seemed to have no end. There was a tree nearby and he sat beneath it and pushed both hands into his hair, he could hear his mother's voice echoing down the path ways of time; _The weak are pathetic, Sirius. The weak must die. The weak are less than us and are jealous creatures. They want what we, the powerful, have. Remember this…remember the purpose to which you have grown and some day you will sit upon the throne and power shall be yours. _For a moment Sirius stared at a single daffodil that was nodding in the wind as if agreeing with his thoughts, then a butterfly with wings the colour of polished silver landed upon it. He gazed at it for a long time in utter silence as it fed. It was a beautiful thing and so delicate. He reached out and snatched it up, it sat within the cage of his fingers and fluttered its wings desperately as it fought to escape. He could easily crush it. It would be ridiculously simple to squash it flat and end it's little life. But…but what would be the point? It was physically weaker than he was but did that mean that it did not have some kind of strength? Was it really ok for him to take it's life simply because he felt that it was weaker than he?

What was his purpose if he did not do as his mother insisted and committed the patricide he was supposedly destined for? What would the point of his continued survival if he did not sit upon the throne? He took a deep, shuddering breath and opened his fingers. The butterfly, sensing it's freedom, took flight and disappeared in a flurry of metallic silver.

"Oi! Potter! Are you paying attention?"

James blinked as if in surprise to see two of his friends hovering in the air before him, he grinned and chuckled roughly. "Sorry, I was in dream land." He said and ruffled up the back of his hair.

"Mate, you just dropped the Quaffle four times in a row…are you alright?" Fabien Prewett said in concern.

James' smile widened. "I'm fine…In fact…I've never been better!" He sighed and the twins shook their heads in confusion. "It's a gorgeous day, isn't it?"

"Ok…" Gideon said and gave his twin a look that plainly said that he thought James was losing his mind.

"Hey, have you heard from Lupin since he left the castle?" Fabien asked as he floated lazily past the other two. They were all on brooms as the day was perfect for Quidditch.

"Hmm?" James said as his eyes scanned the ground, he had just thought he'd spotted something moving.

"You remember Lupin, surely? You know the son of your old Chancellor?"

"Remus?" James said, swerving around on his broom and spotting what he was looking for.

"Yeah, that guy." Gideon muttered.

"Yeah, he's doing fine…we write to each other a lot." Without another word James sped off and forced the other two to look at each other and shrug.

Sirius walked and frowned at his feet, he was in a desperate situation. He knew that his mother would be angry…well, angry wouldn't even describe her fury when she discovered the truth of what he was feeling. He was reluctant to tell her, he knew her wrath and always tried hard to avoid it. Then he heard a shout, the voice made his heart leap and he looked up to see James flying towards him. He couldn't prevent the smile from lighting his face, he paused and watched as James landed with ease and ran up to him. "Hey!" he said a little breathlessly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine…were you playing Quidditch?"

"Yeah…" James' smile widened. "You want to hang out for a while?"

Sirius, a little taken back by the proposal, looked surprised. "Oh…yes, ok…" He agreed before even considering what would happen. It seemed that in the battle between heart and mind, heart had won.

"Brilliant!" James said, he stood there, clutching his broom with his messy hair and slightly wonky glasses. Sirius gazed at him as he felt a confusing mixture of intense desire and extreme envy whirling inside him, he wanted to reach out and touch his hand but he wasn't sure if it was appropriate. James saved him the trouble of worrying when he reached out himself, their fingers entwined and Sirius felt a beautiful warmth exploding within his chest, it radiated from the touch of their skin and he forgot about his mother, about his mission…everything.

Regulus watched Sirius walk away with James, he spotted the change in his demeanour. His eyes widened from behind the statue where he was hidden, his brother had never looked at anyone like that before. He bit down on his lower lip and frowned, what did it all mean? Should he tell his mother of the change? What would happen if he did? Finally he decided to wait and see what happened. He had seen what happened when Orion got angry with Sirius and it wasn't pretty. Where Walburga treated Sirius like a son, Orion had no such qualms, even though Sirius carried his name. He hated the boy, he was jealous of him as Walburga put Sirius before their marriage and her obsession with Charlus caused horrific arguments and strife. Regulus had learnt to walk away when the tension became too much, he could never do any wrong in the eyes of his parents…but then, _he _was the legitimate son.

Sirius and James found what had become their secret spot in the little copse of trees in the castle grounds. They sat beneath the trees and merely talked of meaningless things, they lay on the grass and leaf mulch, surrounded by the earthy scents of spring and took pleasure in the company of one another. Time passed but the two boys barely paid attention, they laughed brightly and were content to simply lie there forever.

James turned his head and gazed at Sirius, their fingers remained entwined and he squeezed his hand gently. Sirius responded hesitantly before James rolled over, he found himself gazing up into hazel eyes. James' body was warm against his own and he could feel his heart beat against his own. He knew what was coming and his mind screamed at him to fight it, it fought desperately but it was pointless. His heart had won and there was no use fighting any longer. As James' lips met his own, Sirius parted his, he let James' tongue meet his within the confines of their mouths and sighed softly. His fingers lifted and tangled in that eternally messy hair, he felt heat searing his body like wild fire. He groaned helplessly as he felt James responding to the kiss. They drew the moment out for as long as possible, the moment was endless as the world around them faded to black.

Finally James realised he had to breathe and reluctantly pulled away, as he did so he smiled and pressed his forehead to Sirius'. "Wow…" He whispered breathlessly. "Amazing…"

Sirius said nothing, he was astounded by James' face, his eyes, his impressively skilled tongue (considering he was probably a novice at kissing). He could feel arousal stirring and he knew he was blushing like a virgin girl but for some reason none of that mattered. He moved his hand and ran a thumb gently over James' cheek bone, his smile was soft and full of unspoken emotion. Before James could speak again he pulled him down and their lips met again. This time little moans began escaping, soft but sharp breaths punctuated the sliding of tongue against tongue. A fire was ignited within Sirius' chest, a fire of such intensity it felt as if he was being burnt alive.

Their kiss, at first so innocent, was slowly devolving. Sirius felt James' hands on his hips, they crept over his body as if memorising every inch. He let his hands slide down James' back, he closed his eyes tightly and pushed aside all thought as he let himself be consumed by the warm body holding him. He had never been held in such a way. He had never been kissed like that. It was passionate, it was sloppy and rough, it was the best kiss of his life.

James had difficulty controlling his hands, he couldn't help but want to feel every inch of the boy beneath him. Some distant part of his brain was telling him that it was wrong, he tried to push it away but it continued to come back. He was a virgin, he knew that being a prince meant that he would have to keep himself pure for the woman he would have to marry but now he would happily give it all up. He didn't care about propriety or his station. He no longer cared about the throne or ruling. The only thing that mattered lay beneath him panting and groaning in a way that sent blood straight into his groin. He shifted a little as he tried to find a more comfortable position and abruptly Sirius pulled away from the kiss, his back arched a little and a strangled groan escaped his lips. James froze, thinking he had hurt him when he felt something hard pressing against his thigh. He realised what was wrong and he stared down at Sirius with a surprised expression.

Sirius panted a little, James looked surprised to discover his erection. His reaction was so innocent and sweet that Sirius couldn't help but smile, he reached up and brought their lips back together again. "Just…kiss me…" He breathed and James complied, he didn't want to scare him off with anything too extreme. He didn't care about anything else except that they never stop kissing.

Sirius felt like he was putting his hand in a fire. He knew it was dangerous, he knew it would hurt, but it was beautiful and hypnotising. He couldn't resist and the more he tried the deeper he seemed to fall. He rolled James over onto his back and pinned his arms there, his nails digging a little into the flesh of his arms. They stayed that way, kissing and groaning together as their hips began to move without any conscious thought. It was hot beneath the trees, Sirius could feel himself sweating a little beneath his tunic but it didn't matter. He felt James' body arch and he was rolled back onto his back again, he smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms fully around James' neck.

In those passionate moments neither considered the ramifications of their actions, the only thing on their minds were the pleasure and the wonderful joy of finally finding someone they connected with.

It happened without warning. Sirius' body flushed with exquisite heat, he gasped and ended up biting down hard on James' bottom lip. He hadn't really been aware of the movements of his or James' body but now he could feel a familiar pressure building deep in the pit of his stomach. He pulled himself away from James and pressed his hips upwards, James gasped and dug his fingers into the earth beneath Sirius' head. He watched in fascination as Sirius panted, his body shuddering as he fought with himself. James smiled and bent his head, his lips found the hollow of his throat and he felt fingers tighten in his hair. He ran his tongue across the soft white flesh, he could taste salt and something else that was distinctly Sirius. He was in heaven and he never wanted to return to reality.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: A short chapter today, I apologise for the delay but a LOT of stuff has been happening IRL. I have had some rather exciting news and so all my fanfiction has been put on hold, I don't know how regularly I will be updating but I will still be writing. :)

Anyways, if you're wandering why the boys got a little hot and heavy in the previous chapter I remind you of their ages. Sirius and James are sixteen years old. They are hormone driven teenagers. Boys are not like girls, they have little control over their bodily reactions at that age and if they find someone they find attractive their bodies will react, it's called nature. So, awkward erections are perfectly normal.

I hope you enjoy and I shall, of course, continue to heighten the sexual tension. :p

_Chapter Five_

Sirius lay on his bed, at his side was the large dog who seemed to have taken such a great liking to him. As he absently reached out and played with its tattered ears the sky outside darkened with the oncoming evening, shadows leapt up the walls, sent dancing across the numerous tapestries by the light of the only burning candle. The dog huffed and happily wagged his tail, Sirius smiled a little. His mind drifted back to that afternoon, he could still smell James on his clothes and he was reluctant to change them. They hadn't taken things as far as either of their bodies would have liked to but Sirius knew both wanted more than the simple kisses they had shared thus far. It was a terrible conundrum, Sirius wanted James like nothing else in his small, dark world but each time they came close to giving away too much, he pulled away. He was being stupid and he knew it, their affair was dangerous and it had the potential to hurt so many, Sirius had been brought here for only a single purpose and his deepening feelings for James were a distraction, it jeopardised everything but he had never been so happy before. Each time he closed his eyes his mind was consumed by James' face. Was it obsession? Was it merely a stupid, childish infatuation that he would get over as time moved on? Or was it something more? He had no answers so he sighed and buried his face into the dog's fur, a hot tongue lapped at his fingers and he smiled.

"You always did prefer the company of animals over humans."

Sirius looked up to see his mother standing in the door way holding a candelabra, she gazed at him with familiar disdain. "Mother. To what do I owe the pleasure?" He said in a monotone.

"I am simply here to ask how it is going with the King." She moved with the same elegant grace that Sirius did himself, without waiting for his answer she began lighting his unlit candles. "You see, I have not seen you make any further attempts to get closer to the king. I am glad that you appear close to that brat of his, it will only endear you more to dear Charlus, however, I expected you to have made more progress."

"I…I apologise, mother." Sirius muttered, the dog growled loudly as Walburga approached, she stopped in her tracks and sneered.

"Animals are so filthy, that creature should not even be here. If Orion catches you with it he will be furious."

"Like the time he beat me for sleeping with the Master of the Hunts wolfhounds?" Sirius replied softly, gently tugging at the dogs ears and refusing to meet his mother's gaze.

"Yes. You deserved that, boy."

"I still have the scars." Sirius breathed, smiling in an absentminded fashion as the dog snuffled his ears. "He tied me to that rack and whipped me till I lost consciousness…"

"You deserved it. You ran away remember."

"I did." Sirius fell silent, unwilling to explain that he had tried to run because he was terrified of Orion and his heavy fists. His fingers tangled in the dog's fur and it whined at him, picking up on his turbulent emotions. As he remembered all the times he had been too afraid to even move as Orion loomed above him, his shadow appearing menacing in the dark room. He stared blindly at the old hound as his own screams echoed back to him through the years, then a strange, crooked smile appeared on his face.

"I hope that tomorrow you pull yourself together, boy. You are, after all, my son and I expect you to remain loyal to me and my goals."

Sirius looked at her and blinked a little. "Yes mother." He said quietly and realised that she had lit every candle in the room, the orange light made her look jaundice. "Whatever you say mother."

"Such a good, sweet boy." She said softly with the smile of a serpent on her lips, she stroked his hair gently and he automatically leaned into that poisonous touch. "You will succeed, I will ensure it. Soon you will sit upon the throne and rule over the weak, as it should be. Good night, Sirius, sleep well."

She left him alone and he sighed softly as he slid off of the bed and began to undress, his robes pooled on the floor as he pulled his night clothes on. He caught his reflection in the mirror and found himself staring at someone he barely even recognised.

XXX

The day was blustery, the wind howled around the castle like a banshee. The inhabitants had taken pains to wear warm cloaks even within the walls, the fires weren't nearly enough to warm them. James trotted down some steep steps, he was whistling as he went down to the kitchens to grab some scraps for a snack. He had an idea to bring some food to Sirius and they could go eat it up on the west tower, he knew that it would be deserted on this sort of day. He grinned when he thought that perhaps he could get in some more kissing, he had been dreaming of Sirius and it was driving him mad as each time his dream-Sirius was about to do something erotic he woke up. As he walked he skipped a little but just as he was turning a corner he heard a harsh laugh, he paused, curious as to who was this close to the kitchens.

"You little shit! You think I don't know what you're up to? Your mother may be deluded into believing in you but I know different! I know what you are; a filthy little bastard! You just can't accept your place and continue trying to step in where you don't belong. You should have got it into your thick skull, boy; No one loves you! No one wants you!"

"I'm not doing anything! Get your hand off of me!"

James froze, his eyes widening a little, he pressed himself back against the wall and chewed his lip and Sirius' voice floated down the corridor.

"Get back here!" There was a loud report that echoed off the walls, a sharp gasp and then the sound of something falling to the floor. James heard Sirius groan heavily and the rustle of movement as he was obviously dragged back to his feet. "Don't you dare ignore me! I am not so easily manipulated as everyone else, even your brother seems to think you're a white knight. I'm not fooled, you're a fucking monster! You sleep with anything with a cock like some kind of disease ridden whore! You're worthless! Do you understand me?"

"Get. Off. Of. Me." Sirius growled, his voice almost too low to catch.

"Not until you tell me you'll do what your mother tasked you to do and then leave. I want you gone as soon as the task is done, do you understand me? I refuse to have people think that I have a sick queer for a son!"

Sirius choked a little as Orion's hand closed over his throat, he stared at his mother's husband with hatred in his eyes. He could feel blood trickling slowly from his lips from where he had bitten his tongue after Orion had hit him. He growled furiously. "I have nowhere else to go and even if I did mother wants me to stay by her side! I know why you don't want me around…it's because you want to fuck me yourself, isn't that right, sir?" Sirius smirked devilishly, slowly running his tongue over his lips. He could see the disgust in Orion's eyes but also watched the fury rise, it was dangerous taunting him like he was but he couldn't seem to stop himself. "You've wanted me since I was nine years old, I remember the way you looked at me…come on, don't deny it, sir. I'm every man's secret wet drea-" Sirius was cut off as a fist collided with his stomach, he gasped and sank to the floor. Orion hissed furiously and left him there, curled up in a ball and waiting for the pain to recede enough for him to stand. He smiled grimly to himself, his day had begun terribly when Orion had spotted the dog leaving his room and after that huge row it had only got worse.

James waited a few moments as Orion Black's footsteps faded before sliding out of his hiding place and rounding the corner, he was greeted by the sight of Sirius struggling laboriously to his feet. "Sirius!" He muttered and went straight to his side, he helped his friend upright but Sirius was refusing to lift his head and look at him. "What happened? Why did your father…?"

Sirius pushed him away roughly, still bent double from the pain in his gut. He took a deep, shaky breath and spat blood to the stone floor. The wind howled its agony as he glared at James furiously. "Fuck off, Potter!" He hissed, the humiliation from being overheard and caught in a moment of weakness was too much. Sirius was lashing out at perhaps the only person who cared. "Leave me…leave me alone…I-I don't need yours or anyone else's help…"

James blinked once as Sirius began struggling slowly down the way James had just come, after the shock of hearing such venom in Sirius' voice faded he sighed and ruffled up his hair. Without a word he grabbed Sirius by the arm and halted him, he drew his wand and used his spare hand to lift Sirius' head. On his pale skin by the corner of his mouth was a red mark, James shook his head and muttered a short spell. The mark faded and he did the same for Sirius' bruised stomach, he stood a little straighter and gazed at James as if he had grown two heads. The few torches that lit the corridor flickered as silver eyes scanned James' face with a confused intensity. "Why?" Sirius whispered finally, James put his wand in his pocket and shrugged.

"Why not? I like you Sirius, I don't want to see you in pain."

Sirius continued to stare at him with incomprehension. "You healed me. Why?"

James laughed softly and took hold of a hank of Sirius' hair, he ran it through his fingers absently. "I _told_ you. I like you, I hate seeing people I like in pain."

Sirius shook his head. "You're mental."

"No, I'm human, Sirius." James flashed him a grin. "I won't ask questions but maybe you should consider backing off from that bloke, he doesn't seem like he's very friendly." He leaned down and left a small peck on Sirius' lips, he smiled as he watched Sirius' pupils dilate. "If you ever need to escape, I'm only two floors down from the guest quarters…just knock and I'll be there. It's a promise." He winked and turned away. "Oh yeah, if you wanna hang tonight I'll be up in the west tower."

Sirius watched him go, somehow he felt a little colder now he was alone. He got his knees straightened and stood up properly as he absently brushed down his robes, his mind drifted back to the feel of James' lips on his own and he lifted his fingers to them thoughtfully. He didn't understand him. Not one thing about James Potter made any sense to him what so ever. He was kind, he was honest, he was gentle and he was caring. Sirius had never known anyone with qualities like those before and it confused him but also intrigued him in a way that made him want more of that kindness. He felt a tiny smile on his lips before he remembered Orion's wrath, it fell from his face like ink and he found himself frowning. If he got closer to James he would be putting everything he was working towards in danger, he could no longer risk it. He had to put aside his infatuation with the prince and concentrate his whole efforts on finding a way to murder the King and take his place…it was his only path. He had no choice.


End file.
